INDIANAPOLIS – An afternoon roster move was the major news on a "Victory Monday" at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.
The Colts will have their mandatory off day on Tuesday before practice picks back up on Wednesday. The Ravens will then come to Lucas Oil Stadium this weekend.
Here are a few headlines from Chuck Pagano talking to media on Monday:
Chuck Pagano on having Robert Mathis back in the building on Monday:
"It was great to walk into the team meeting today and, (Mathis) always sits in the same seat he's sat in forever, in the upper right hand corner seat and I looked up there and saw his face. I had to take a double take. It was awesome, awesome to have him back."
Bowen's Analysis: The Colts placed Mathis on the reserve/non-football injury list on Monday afternoon with his suspension over.
In listening to Pagano and then hearing Andrew Luck and Darius Butler talk about Mathis back in the building, it's clear his presence is something players and coaches feed off of. Pagano joked that Mathis will be doing everything from serving as an assistant coach, to locker room patrol and will even have a whistle waiting for him. Mathis has been an entertaining follow on Twitter during his suspension and now he will channel that energy to the sidelines during games.
Chuck Pagano on the play of Vontae Davis:
"They didn't go at him.
"They went straight Richard Sherman on him yesterday."
Bowen's Analysis: I remember after the game seeing Davis in the locker room and thinking, 'Wow, he had a quiet afternoon.' Of course, that's a good thing in life as an NFL corner. Per Pro Football Focus, Titans quarterback Charlie Whitehurst did not attempt any pass outside of the numbers on the left side of the field, the area that is occupied by Davis.
After watching the tape, Pagano was particularly impressed by how Davis did not take any plays off in the second half and never got "lulled to sleep." The Davis we've seen the first month of the season is exactly who the Colts were hoping they were getting after re-signing him this offseason.
Chuck Pagano on releasing Da'Rick Rogers:
"We released him for conduct detrimental to the team and it would really be inappropriate for me right now to go into any details.
"The way things are set up here, it's a pretty good culture, pretty good environment, pretty easy place to thrive and to grow."
Bowen's Analysis:* *The Colts released Rogers on Monday afternoon after reports were out there of him being arrested early Monday morning. The talent was always there for Rogers but off the field troubles have held him back from reaching that potential.
As far as the impact on the team, Rogers had been a healthy scratch for the first four games of 2014. There's no question the Colts receivers group is the deepest on the team and the emergence of Donte Moncrief along with Griff Whalen on special teams, has relegated Rogers to the inactive list each week. It was clear that Moncrief and Whalen had firmly planted themselves as the team's fourth and fifth receivers right now.
